One type of existing heel grounder (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,551,783) includes a conductive rubber "cup" which fits onto the heel of a shoe and is held on the wearer's foot by an elastic or hook-and-loop fastener. The "cup" is connected to a conductive strip or tab which tucks into the wearer's sock or shoe. Devices of this type are typically very durable, lasting several months to over a year, but also are costly. Moreover, since the tab is in intimate contact with the wearer's foot, the grounder is rarely passed from one person to another. Rather, if one person (e.g., a visitor or temporary employee) no longer has any need for the device, it is typically thrown-away regardless of its condition.
To meet the need for a relatively short-term use device, disposable devices also have been provided. These typically provide a carbon-loaded polyethylene strip which adheres to the heel of a shoe and is tucked over into the shoe or sock to contact the wearer. Unfortunately, most products of this type suffer from a number of drawbacks. They frequently do not stay on the shoe very well, and tear easily. Thus, such "disposable" grounding devices often must be replaced several times a day, which reduces their cost advantage. More important, the failure or loss of the "disposable" grounder may not be immediately noticed, and there often will be some period of time during which the wearer will be unprotected.
There thus remains a need for a relatively low-cost device that avoids the drawbacks and shortcomings of available "disposable" grounders.